VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Managing Editor of Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper Phan Ha Binh was arrested by police on Wednesday under suspicion of accepting bribes worth up to VND220 million (US$11,500) from Sai Gon-Tan Ky Cement Company.

Former City official faces death penalty

Official accused of accepting bribe from Japanese firm

Deputy Managing Editor of Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper Phan Ha Binh was arrested by police on Wednesday.
Deputy Managing Editor of Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper Phan Ha Binh was arrested by police on Wednesday.
Binh, whose penname is Ha Phan, is said to have been caught red-handed accepting money at Nhat Ha restaurant in District 3 of HCM City. According to a police officer, Binh and some other journalists were said to have co-written a series of stories that included negative information about Tan Ky, a sub-company of the Sai Gon Investment Co-operation.

Nguyen Truong Dien, HCM City Bureau Chief of the newspaper, confirmed with Viet Nam News that at 10am yesterday, Oct 14, police came and searched Binh’s desk at the newspaper’s office on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. After two hours of searching, they seized documents and took them away for further investigation.

Binh, 41, became the Deputy Managing Editor of the paper on October 1 after many years covering the economic sector.

Dien also said that in July, the Tien Phong management board sent a request to HCM City Police and the Ministry of Public Security, asking them to provide Binh with protection after he received threats regarding stories he had written about newly built villas threatening pine forests in Da Lat.

The newspaper’s editorial board said they would not shield any illegal acts and would like the police to investigate the incident under legal regulations.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News